Motor logging tractor



Nov. 13, ,1923. 1,474,282

C. NOBLE MOTOR LOGGING TRACTOR Nov. 13 1923.

imm-82 C. NOBLE MOTORLOGGING TRACTOR Filed Dec. 20, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Qin @4W ma C. NOBLE MOTOR LOGGING TRACTOR` l Filed Dec. 20. 1921 v3 Sheets-Sheet 5 gatented Nov. i3, 1923.

CHARLES NOBLE, OF SISSON, CALIFORNIA.

tg Moron tossine reaccion.

Application filed December 20, 1921. Serial No. 523,676.

scription of' the invention, such as will en-4 able others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in tractors adapted for logging or for hauling logs by having them suspended therefrom and has for its primary object the provision of a device of the' above stated character that may be driven forwardly over or astride of the logs and provided with means whereby the logs may be raised and supported for hauling to the desired place by the device.

Another object of this invention is the provision of improved drive wheels for the device that have increase-traction obtaining qualities over' ordinary spoke Wheels and which will reduce the amount of motor power necessary to propel'the device and also facilitate the traveling of the device on soft ground. f

A further object of this invention is the provision of a tractor of the above stated character which will be simple, durable and eiiicient, and which may be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low icost.

`With these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in such noval features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference will be had to the fol-- lowing description and accompanying drawings, inr which 2 f Figure 1 Vis-a top plan 'view partly in 'section illustrating' a tractor constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation, illustrating the sanie. l

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view,

illustrating the'logs suspended from the ydevice and showing the construction of the drivewheel.

Figure 4 isa front elevation, illustrating the front or steering wheels.

Figure 5 is a side elevation illustrating one of the drive wheels with one of the side anges removed.

Figure 6 is a sectional view, illuustratingr the same and one of the guide rollers.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral 1 Yindicates a tractor frame or chassis carrying at its front end an internal combustion engine 2 having` driving connection with a differential 3 that includes axles or shafts i mounted in bearings 5, carried by brackets G located on the chassis 1 and said axles or shafts carry at their outer ends sprocket wheels 7 which are arranged outwardly of the side of the chassis or frame. A drivers seat is mounted oirtlie frame or chassis rearwardlyof the engine 2.` T he frame or chassis comprises arched front and rear axles 9 and 10 connected by side members or bars 1v1 preferably constructed of Lbeain material and the axles are constructed from corresponding material. The front axle 9 being of the arch type permits the tractor o-r the front end thereof to straddle objects andprovides vertical portions 12 provided with journals or bearings 13 to rotatably receive stems 1li that are provided with forkedlower ends 15 between '-.vhich are journaled front or steering wheels 16. rEhe stems lfi are free to slide upwardly and downwardly within tie bearings and have their upper ends journaled to ythe ends of an equalizing bar V1'? which -is vpivoted intermediate its ends to the front axle 9 as illustrated at 18. The equalizing bar is adapted to permit the front or steering wheels to conform or pass readilyV over uneven ground without affecting the frame or chassis of the tractor. Rearwardly extending' arms 19 are formed on the upper yends of the stems 14 and are connected by a steering bar 20 which is in turn pivotedy toa-n arm 21 forming an integral partei a segment 22. The` segment 1s suitably ymounted on the front axle and meshes with a worm 23 carried by the lower endof the rihev rear axle 10' is equipped withv drive wheels 26 that areretated through the mediunr of sprocket chains 27 trained. over the sprocket wheels 7 secured to the ends of the shafts 4. The rear 'axle 10 being of arched formation: provides vertical portions 28 that are .bifurcated to form forks 29 to ,which are journaled load carrying` Wheels 30. The Wheels 30 are constructed from several castings and have keyed or otherwise secured to their periphery ring' gears 3l adapted to mesh With teeth 32 forming a. part of ring gears 33 secured to the inner faces ot rims or annular tracks 34. The ring gears at each side of the teeth 32 are provided with bearing faces 35 to be engaged by bearing faces 36 that form part of removable flangesV 3T that arc secured to the load carrying Wheels by bolts or similar fasteners 3'8. Portions of the 'flanges 37 project beyond the bearingl v'itaces 36 to form guide portions 39 that engage the side faces of the ring gea-rs 33 carried by thev rims or annular tracks. lt should be apparentthat'the varrangement of parts described will prevent the load carrying- Wheels 'from moving laterally with respect to the rims or annular tracks and that a driving connection is established between the load carrying Wheels 'and the rims or annular tracks. Sprocket gears 40 are secured lto the load carrying` `Wheels by the fasteners 38 and are engaged by the sprocket vchains y27 whereby thc ground Wheels are rotated by the engine 2 and the rotation of said Wheels impart rotation to .the rims or annular tracks.

Pairs ot' longitudinally extending,` tubular guides are :formed on the vertical portions 28 of the rear axle l0 and slidably support guide rods 4l that have journaled to their 'ends7 guide rollers 42 .provided with bearing faces 43 adapted to contact with the bearing faces 3 5 of the ring gears 33 and said guide rollers vare* provided With annular grooves 44 for the purpose of receiving the teeth 32 of the ring gears Without said rollers coming in contact With the teeth. The `@guide rods 4l and guide rollers are adapted to keep the rims orl annular tracks in align? yment with the load carrying- Wheels and the guide .rods 41 have shock absorbing.;- springs 4:5 mounted thereon which springs bear against the ends of the tubular guides and also are adapted to be "enga-ged by co'llars46 `secured to the guide rods for the purpose of absorbing shocks and jars when Vthe rims or annular tracks come in contact with obstacles Drive Wheels constructed in accordance with the foregoing description will during :their rotation have a tendency to `mash the :ground flat or downwardly instead kof having a tendency yto -push the grouiid as in Wheels of 'the spoke type, also the arrange` "to lprbpel 'or Vrotate the Wheels. rams or annular 'tracks engage obstacles in the road Way, they yield owing to the guide ment `of parts permit -the Wheels to readily lol'otain 'traction'in soft `,qroui'id and `also reduce the amount of motive power necessary rods being slidable in the 'tubular guides consequently 'causing the load carrying incassa Wheels to move forwardly beyond the vertical axis of the rims or annular tracks until the latter overcomes the obstacle. The front and rear axles being' of the arch type permit the tractor to be driven over logs piled one 'upon the other or` in other Words to permit the axles to straddle the logs Whereby Volwiating the Anecessity of backing the tractor over the pilesroif' logs as now customary in tractors employing an unarched front axle or a tractor oi' a single steering ivheel type.

`The rear axle carries hydraulic means i7 used to raise and support the pile ot' logs in a suspended position under the structure. rEhe hydraulic means Y4T includes hydraulic cylinders 4S adapted to receive air pressure Vtrein any suitable source (not shown) and which air pressure may be conveniently eentrollecl in :inv Well known manner. The erlo -in'ders '4:8 arev provided 'with pistons having stems 50 to which cross heads are secured.

Reds 5'2 are secured to the 'ends et the cross` heads and are slidably mounted in bearings 53 carried by the rear axle and have' conn'ected thereto tie chains 54C and which chains have one oi' their ends detachab-ly connected to one pair oi the rods 52 by hooks 55 vto facilitate the application or 'removal oi the Y tie vchains from the logs. The piston Ystems 5() are provided WithY a series of teeth 56 adapted to be engaged by dogs 57 pivoted to the cylinders tor the purpose ot holding the stems in position or to lock the stems in their positions so that the logs may be held in a 'suspended position. A control rod 58 is carried by the chassis or trame lV and is connected to the dogs by links 59 and also to a controlling,v lever 60 located adjacent the seat 8 whereby the driver or operator may engage and disengag'e the dogs tro-m the teeth when desired.

Shields or protectors 161 are associated with the load carrying` Wheels 26 for the purpose `of preventing foreign matter from entering or coming` in contact with the ring Q'ears33 Where they mesh with' the teeth of the :Wheels 30 and include "side semi-circular plates 62 secured to'reinforcingelements 63 and are provided With `guide rollers 64 adapted to engage the annular tracks or Wheels 526. 'The .shields for ipretectors are connected te the Vforks of rearaxle,

From the foregoing description Y'taken inV employed wheels of the spoke type as driving mediums.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it

will be understood that minor changes in construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the. spirit und scope o'f the invention as claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is l. A tractor construction comprising arched rear axles having bifurcated ends, load carrying wheels journaled to the bifurcated ends of the axle, annular tracks engaged by the load carrying wheels, teeth on said tracks, ring gears secured to the load carrying wheels and engaging the teeth to establish driving connection Abetween the load carrying wheels and the tracks.

A2. A tractor construction comprising an arched axle, load carrying wheels journaled to said axle, ring gears secured to said wheels, annular tracks, ring gears secured to said tracks and engaged by the teeth of the gears of the load carrying wheels and having bearing portions, guide flanges secured to the load carrying wheels and having bearing portions to engage the bearing portions of the gears carried by the tracks.

3. In a tractor construction, an arched axle, load carrying wheels journaled to said axle, annular tracks, driving connections between the load carrying wheels and the tracks, and guide means carried by the axle Aand engaging the tracks.

4:. In a tractor construction, an arched axle, load carrying wheels journaled to said axle, annular tracks engaged by said wheels, driving connections between said wheels and tracks, and yieldable guide means carried by the axle and engaging the tracks.

5. In a tractor construction, an axle, load carrying wheels journaled to said axle, annular tracks engaged by said wheels, driving connections between said wheels and tracks, guides carried by said axle, and combined shock absorbing means and guides carried by said first guides and engaging the tracks. y i

6. In a tractor construction, an axle, load carrying wheels journaled to said axle, annular tracks engaged by said wheels, guide rods slidably connected to said axle, guide rollers carried by said rods and engaging the tracks, and cushioning means carried by said rods. v

7. A tractor` construction comprising an arched rear axle having bifurcated ends, load carrying wheels journaled to the bifur cated ends of the axle, annular tracks engaged by the load carrying wheels, teeth on said tracks, ring gears secured to the load carrying wheels and engaging the teeth to establish driving connections between the load carrying wheels and the track, and shields secured-to the bifurcated ends of the axle and adaptedto prevent dirt or other foreign matter from coming in contact with the teeth of the load carrying wheels and the teeth of the annular track, and rollers carried by said shields and engaging the annular track.

In testimony whereof I aihx my signature in presence of two witnesses. i

CHARLES NOBLE.

Witnesses:

MATILDA E. HUNT, MARY E. MARTIN. 

